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The Substitute
In the tradition of Gillian Flynn and Paula Hawkins, The Substitute is a deliciously creepy psychological thriller that will keep you guessing until the very last page. Warren Botts is a disillusioned Ph.D. taking a break from his lab to teach middle-school science. Gentle, soft-spoken, and introverted, Warren befriends thirteen-year-old Amanda, a lonely student looking for guidance. One morning, Warren returns from a jog to find Amanda dead, hanging from a tree in his backyard. A police investigation follows, but Warren is unable — or unwilling — to answer the questions that swirl around him. Suspicions mount, and Warren’s peaceful neighbours quickly become hostile. Meanwhile, an anonymous narrator who possesses a dangerous combination of extreme intelligence and emotional detachment offers insight into events past and present. As the tension builds, we gain an intimate understanding of the power of memories, secrets, and lies.
363 pages, Kindle Edition
First published June 24, 2017
233 people are currently reading
2306 people want to read
About the author
Nicole Lundrigan
11 books440 followers“Lundrigan’s skillfully balanced blend of psychological thriller and haunting coming-of-age story is infused with creepy, small-town atmospheric suspense. . . . [Her] writing is both elegant and darkly humorous, delivering bareknuckle social commentary that will appeal to fans of Gillian Flynn, Karin Fossum, and Laura Lippman.”
Booklist, Starred review
Nicole is the author of eight novels including THE SUBSTITUTE, HIDEAWAY, and AN UNTHINKABLE THING. Her work has been selected as a Top 10 pick by Canada’s national newspaper the Globe & Mail, a top 100 on amazon.ca, a top 10 by Now Magazine, and was shortlisted for the Arthur Ellis Award (best crime novel).
If you'd like to connect with Nicole, you can do so through her website.
Booklist, Starred review
Nicole is the author of eight novels including THE SUBSTITUTE, HIDEAWAY, and AN UNTHINKABLE THING. Her work has been selected as a Top 10 pick by Canada’s national newspaper the Globe & Mail, a top 100 on amazon.ca, a top 10 by Now Magazine, and was shortlisted for the Arthur Ellis Award (best crime novel).
If you'd like to connect with Nicole, you can do so through her website.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 244 reviews
January 17, 2021
A slower paced creepy thriller, you'll be disturbed at times yet you want to keep reading to learn how everything comes together. The book starts off with the crime and then the subsequent chapters are all about character development. Is Warren Botts just a slightly eccentric and socially awkward introvert or is there a hidden side to him? And just who is this anonymous narrator and how do they tie in?
Not a page turner for me, but there was a sense of wanting to know. Feeling that something was just outside my grasp and if I would just read a few more chapters I would be able to solve the crime and then furiously read to see if I was right. Ha! I was so wrong! My reading pace did pick up at the end but I never saw the answer coming. Of course, in hindsight the clues were there; I had missed/foolishly overlooked/rationalized them away. A very well written thriller that must be read to the very end before you can fully appreciate just how well written it is. 4.5 stars
Not a page turner for me, but there was a sense of wanting to know. Feeling that something was just outside my grasp and if I would just read a few more chapters I would be able to solve the crime and then furiously read to see if I was right. Ha! I was so wrong! My reading pace did pick up at the end but I never saw the answer coming. Of course, in hindsight the clues were there; I had missed/foolishly overlooked/rationalized them away. A very well written thriller that must be read to the very end before you can fully appreciate just how well written it is. 4.5 stars
March 13, 2023
I recently read "An Unthinkable Thing" by this author and had previously read "Hideaway" and I think somebody on Goodreads had recommended a couple of her older books including this one so I checked it out of the library. This is what I consider a "dense" book, not so much for the content but for the fact that there's more narrative than dialogue and for a paperback it's really heavy (in weight I mean)! Someone described it as "plodding" and that's an excellent descriptor, although not very flattering.
Warren Botts is a disillusioned Ph.D. taking a break from his lab to teach middle-school science. We don't have "middle school" in Ontario but I understand it's usually Grades 7 & 8. One morning Warren returns from a jog to find Amanda, 13 years old and one of his students, hanging from a tree in his backyard.
I really enjoyed this book but I couldn't read a lot of it at any one time so it took me quite a while to finish. The characters were really messing with my mind. There's Warren who displays obsessive-compulsive traits, the unknown narrator who strikes me as something of a psychopath, Warren's sister Beth who suffers from drug addiction, as well as the unknown narrator's mother and aunt and a neighbour who are all pretty strange. Very well written and highly misleading ... for me anyway. I was under the wrong impression until almost the very end.
TW: Animal Cruelty, Language (especially the hated (by me anyway) c-word), self-harm.
I borrowed this book from the London Public Library so thanks to them once again. They were kind enough to renew the book for me - twice! - which is very unusual for me. Good thing nobody was waiting for it!
Warren Botts is a disillusioned Ph.D. taking a break from his lab to teach middle-school science. We don't have "middle school" in Ontario but I understand it's usually Grades 7 & 8. One morning Warren returns from a jog to find Amanda, 13 years old and one of his students, hanging from a tree in his backyard.
I really enjoyed this book but I couldn't read a lot of it at any one time so it took me quite a while to finish. The characters were really messing with my mind. There's Warren who displays obsessive-compulsive traits, the unknown narrator who strikes me as something of a psychopath, Warren's sister Beth who suffers from drug addiction, as well as the unknown narrator's mother and aunt and a neighbour who are all pretty strange. Very well written and highly misleading ... for me anyway. I was under the wrong impression until almost the very end.
TW: Animal Cruelty, Language (especially the hated (by me anyway) c-word), self-harm.
I borrowed this book from the London Public Library so thanks to them once again. They were kind enough to renew the book for me - twice! - which is very unusual for me. Good thing nobody was waiting for it!
January 19, 2023
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This is plodding with eerie vibes, like a guy walking behind you and he just gives you the creeps but it’s not like he’s done anything but be a man on a sidewalk alone. Depending on your mood, this is either going to hit you as slow and boring or as a slow-burner that is chilling and twisty.
For me, when I read this, it was like watching a sloth cross the street which in any other circumstances I would love because sloths are my favourite.
That said, I feel like it’s totally on me being in a bad headspace for a slow-burning thriller considering I’ve been stuck in the fucking house since mid-March. I can’t do slow or boring or any combination therein. I need my thrillers to be genuinely thrilling, mysterious and wild if I’m going to forget I’m looking at the same walls every day, all day. HOW MANY MORE WALKS CAN I TAKE MY DOG ON? We’ll find out…
The cabin fever is real.
One thing this book definitely is: disturbing. Mostly because of the unnamed young narrator who takes up 50% of the POV. That bitch is CHILLING. Like, a straight-up budding psychopath from the first introduction, so superbly written in their detachment it might give you goosebumps.
Then there’s Dr. Botts, a biologist pursuing a Ph.D. in his field, who needs a break from his intense lab work. He decides to take on the role of substitute science teacher at a high school as a mental health break. Maybe he forgot what teenagers are like???? Because in what fucking world does someone think: “I need a break. Teaching 16-year-olds sounds like a day at the spa."
But, whatever. Here comes Mr. Botts! He’s weird, socially stunted and awkward. Certainly on the spectrum with OCD tendencies. One student, Amanda, takes a more than-normal interest in the new substitute and then one day, she's found hanging by a noose from a tree in Botts’ back yard.
NOT A GOOD LOOK AT ALL.
As you would expect, Botts becomes the prime suspect in the girl’s murder.
This book does the one thing I fucking HATE in a narrative meant to make the main character appear guilty – the MC does and says really stupid shit that digs himself into a deeper hole, instead of, you know, acting like a normal innocent human. If the plot could be ended by just ONE character saying a simple truth aloud, then there’s a problem.
The writing is pretty good in terms of prose and structure, but it was slow for me and some parts could have been left on the cutting room floor. It’s also depressing overall. If you’re looking for a thriller to distract you from the awfulness of real life, then maybe this isn’t the best choice because it will definitely bring down the mood even lower than it already is.
If you have the patience and the right mind frame for this one, give it a shot. For me, it wasn’t terrible, but I didn’t really have a good time reading it either.
⭐⭐⭐ | 3 stars
This is plodding with eerie vibes, like a guy walking behind you and he just gives you the creeps but it’s not like he’s done anything but be a man on a sidewalk alone. Depending on your mood, this is either going to hit you as slow and boring or as a slow-burner that is chilling and twisty.
For me, when I read this, it was like watching a sloth cross the street which in any other circumstances I would love because sloths are my favourite.
That said, I feel like it’s totally on me being in a bad headspace for a slow-burning thriller considering I’ve been stuck in the fucking house since mid-March. I can’t do slow or boring or any combination therein. I need my thrillers to be genuinely thrilling, mysterious and wild if I’m going to forget I’m looking at the same walls every day, all day. HOW MANY MORE WALKS CAN I TAKE MY DOG ON? We’ll find out…
The cabin fever is real.
One thing this book definitely is: disturbing. Mostly because of the unnamed young narrator who takes up 50% of the POV. That bitch is CHILLING. Like, a straight-up budding psychopath from the first introduction, so superbly written in their detachment it might give you goosebumps.
Then there’s Dr. Botts, a biologist pursuing a Ph.D. in his field, who needs a break from his intense lab work. He decides to take on the role of substitute science teacher at a high school as a mental health break. Maybe he forgot what teenagers are like???? Because in what fucking world does someone think: “I need a break. Teaching 16-year-olds sounds like a day at the spa."
But, whatever. Here comes Mr. Botts! He’s weird, socially stunted and awkward. Certainly on the spectrum with OCD tendencies. One student, Amanda, takes a more than-normal interest in the new substitute and then one day, she's found hanging by a noose from a tree in Botts’ back yard.
NOT A GOOD LOOK AT ALL.
As you would expect, Botts becomes the prime suspect in the girl’s murder.
This book does the one thing I fucking HATE in a narrative meant to make the main character appear guilty – the MC does and says really stupid shit that digs himself into a deeper hole, instead of, you know, acting like a normal innocent human. If the plot could be ended by just ONE character saying a simple truth aloud, then there’s a problem.
The writing is pretty good in terms of prose and structure, but it was slow for me and some parts could have been left on the cutting room floor. It’s also depressing overall. If you’re looking for a thriller to distract you from the awfulness of real life, then maybe this isn’t the best choice because it will definitely bring down the mood even lower than it already is.
If you have the patience and the right mind frame for this one, give it a shot. For me, it wasn’t terrible, but I didn’t really have a good time reading it either.
⭐⭐⭐ | 3 stars
June 24, 2017
I love a great crime/mystery. Nicole Lundrigan intrigued me with her synopsis, just enough to grab my attention, but not too much as to give the story away. The Substitute certainly did not disappoint. I was pulled into the story and could not escape the web that Lundrigan weaved.
The Substitute is told from two perspectives: that of Warren Botts, an unusual and peculiar substitute teacher, and that of a second character, who it is, is a mystery that kept me guessing until the end. I was amazed at the depth and particularities of these two – they had so much in common, yet they were so different. The supporting cast was equally as captivating, each one with their own special characteristics, and each with their own thread in this story. These characters made The Substitute impossible to put down.
For any good mystery, it is essential to keep the readers guessing, “Who done it?” Well, Lundrigan goes outside of that box. We know the culprit, we just don’t know how that character fits in. Who are they in the grand scheme of things? I was impressed, I didn’t even come close.
As an introduction to an author, The Substitute was perfection. I was lured into the trap and didn’t even see the final strike until it was delivered. This is an author that I will be looking for more from in the future.
*5 Stars
*I received a copy of the book from the publisher (via Edelweiss) in exchange for an honest review.
The Substitute is told from two perspectives: that of Warren Botts, an unusual and peculiar substitute teacher, and that of a second character, who it is, is a mystery that kept me guessing until the end. I was amazed at the depth and particularities of these two – they had so much in common, yet they were so different. The supporting cast was equally as captivating, each one with their own special characteristics, and each with their own thread in this story. These characters made The Substitute impossible to put down.
For any good mystery, it is essential to keep the readers guessing, “Who done it?” Well, Lundrigan goes outside of that box. We know the culprit, we just don’t know how that character fits in. Who are they in the grand scheme of things? I was impressed, I didn’t even come close.
As an introduction to an author, The Substitute was perfection. I was lured into the trap and didn’t even see the final strike until it was delivered. This is an author that I will be looking for more from in the future.
*5 Stars
*I received a copy of the book from the publisher (via Edelweiss) in exchange for an honest review.
February 23, 2018
This book is one of the best psychological thrillers I have read. The characters are so well-developed that it is impressive that I didn’t guess the identity of the narrator until the final reveal at the end. I wasn’t even close. This book left me thinking about the characters and all of the intricate relationships long after I finished it. I am so glad that I happened to find this book. It is one that I highly recommend to others who also love this genre.
July 14, 2017
Maybe I did love Evie. In the same way I had loved Button. But also, in a different way. One was not a substitute for the other. My love for Evie was arresting and wistful and furious and benevolent. A swirling storm that had claimed me. There was nothing I would not do to protect her. Protect her blinded heart.
The Substitute is, as promised by cover blurbs, “creepy” and “clever”. Author Nicole Lundrigan maintains just the right mix of confusion and confession – nothing seems like what it is, but you can't catch her in a trick – and with so many interesting (not to mention disturbing) events occurring throughout, I found this to be an engaging read. I wouldn't call it capital-L “Literature”, but a decent story, and just what I was in the mood for.
The novel is told in two rotating points-of-view: First person from that of a sociopathic, unnamed narrator (quoted above), and from an omniscient third person, following a man with a different definition of “substitute”:
He reminded himself that his childhood days were far behind him. He was a grown up now, a man, a developmental biologist, a PhD. In the future, a tenured professor, if that was what he decided to do. Right now he was taking a slight sidestep, a year-long break from his lab to become a substitute teacher in middle school.
This substitute teacher, Dr (but prefers “Mr”) Botts, is a fragile man – haunted by childhood trauma and soothed by OCD-like counting and routines – so when one of his students is found having hanged herself in his back yard – using a system of pulleys from his unit test; the test stuffed into her dead mouth – he is not only overwhelmed, but incapable of explaining himself to the local police. If anything, Botts feels too much:
Too many pictures inside his brain. Too much pressure. His skull wanting to explode. When he was a boy, he would have described them all to his father. Image by image, he would tell his father what troubled him. What was building inside his mind. It was so easy then, flicking them away, cards from a scary deck. His father always took them, and said, “Just count something, War. Just count.” Warren had felt soothed, but that sensation of comfort, of security, did not last. His father was unable to hold those cards, to keep them pressed to his chest, and in the end, he gave every single one back.
By contrast, the unnamed narrator feels so little (I have been informed that the author believes revealing even the gender of this narrator is a spoiler, so I will used the pronoun "X"): X hurts and manipulates others, orchestrates truly horrifying events and watches it all play out with stony detachment. So it was galvanic when an event did affect X:
Something ripped open inside my head, a thousand hands reaching up and yanking. Threads of me were screaming, but I stood, motionless, expressionless, only blinking, blinking, while a putrid cavity formed. I could not see. I could not see. I think I might have been shaking. Revulsion and disgust seeped out into my chest cavity, and I could not take a breath.
The Substitute is a Mystery/Thriller/Psychodrama, so I'm trying to be careful and not give anything away (the girl's death happens immediately [and is outlined on the cover] so I don't consider it a spoiler). But I do want to note that, as much as the dual protagonists might seem like opposites, they have much in common – and not just cold mothers, absent fathers, and sisters in need of protection; they're both injured and finding ways to deal with a soul-hurting world. Something about this subtext elevates the book in my mind, and while I might properly consider this a 3.5 star read, I'm happy to bump it up.
August 1, 2017
Warren Botts is a near genius in the science field and he is substitute teaching while taking a break from his stressful lab job. He is a kind human being who lacks some basic social skills. One of the girls in his class became a bit too friendly with him and he asked her not to come to his home. The girl is found hanging from a tree in his back yard and of course, he is a suspect.
The book alternates between Botts and an anonymous person who certainly seems to be a psychopath. Don't get on this person's bad list or you will pay. The author reveals who this person is in the last chapter and I certainly wasn't expecting who it turned out to be.
The book alternates between Botts and an anonymous person who certainly seems to be a psychopath. Don't get on this person's bad list or you will pay. The author reveals who this person is in the last chapter and I certainly wasn't expecting who it turned out to be.
September 19, 2025
Really, really good!! Definitely not a fast paced thriller, this was all about the characters. & i was hooked, looking forward to trying another 1 from this author.
July 8, 2017
THIS.BOOK. Lately I have become stingy with the 5 star rating; reserving it only for those books that I feel have made a significant difference in my life by having read it. However, I can not possibly give this book anything less than 5 stars. It was simply fabulous. The story of a substitute teacher accused of killing a student is told in alternating view points: that of Warren, the socially awkward possibly on the spectrum, substitute teacher and an individual whose identity (and gender) is unknown. I found this narration by an unknown individual to be slightly annoying because I couldn't tell if the narration was in the past or present and it really unnerved me yet added to the suspense of the book. Several other characters with unknown identities also come into play and I never did figure out who all the players were until the final two chapters. In my opinion that is genius writing (to maybe I am just clueless. I had suspicions but wasn't sure). The thing that I liked best about about this novel though was the fact that it made me feel on edge and uncomfortable from the first chapter to nearly the very end and any writing that can evoke feelings like that in me is worthy of 5 stars!
August 24, 2019
Part of me loved this book, with its subtle yet disturbing plot. While another part of me kept waiting for more to happen. There is much going on beneath the surface of this book but you have to pay attention. I thought the author’s creative use of mental illness throughout the story was brilliant and added an element of depth to the characters. Pretty much all of the characters seemed to be diagnosable from depression to ADHD to ASD to psychopathy. These characters are brought to life, flaws and all.
Where things fell off the rail for me was in the telling of the story. It moved at a snail’s pace and lacked a pivotal moment of shock or surprise. It’s a slow burn that never really peaks.
The story alternates between two plot lines, which are eventually connected. Part of the suspense is trying to figure out how these two separate plot lines relate to one another. There is also a mystery surrounding the death of a student. Suspicion falls onto the substitute teacher since the girl’s body is found in his backyard.
All in all, if you have the patience to get through this one, it’s not a bad read. It will probably give you a case of the creepies = although I will warn, it’s quite slow in spots.
Where things fell off the rail for me was in the telling of the story. It moved at a snail’s pace and lacked a pivotal moment of shock or surprise. It’s a slow burn that never really peaks.
The story alternates between two plot lines, which are eventually connected. Part of the suspense is trying to figure out how these two separate plot lines relate to one another. There is also a mystery surrounding the death of a student. Suspicion falls onto the substitute teacher since the girl’s body is found in his backyard.
All in all, if you have the patience to get through this one, it’s not a bad read. It will probably give you a case of the creepies = although I will warn, it’s quite slow in spots.
September 15, 2022
If I could give this book more than 5 stars I would. It was fabulous!
March 29, 2017
As a huge fan of this author's other works, it was a real honour to have the opportunity to receive an ARC of her newest title. I had been anxiously awaiting another story from her since reading " The Widow Tree", and was intrigued when I learned that this one would be a thriller. I haven't read that genre in many years, and was curious to see how the author, who's stories are typically very character driven, would tell that sort of a tale. True to form, she does not disappoint.
In " The Substitute", Lundrigan weaves another magical story around characters who will leave an indelible mark on the reader's heart and mind long after putting the book down. I don't know how she does it, but she imbues every one of her characters with so much humanity that, even when you don't particularly like them, you can always connect with and relate to them on some level.
The pace of the story is languid for a thriller (all the better to soak in the delicious writing style), but the suspense is maintained and built through the shifting back and forth between the two main characters. Although I pride myself on being pretty adept at guessing who done it, I was completely blown away (and very impressed by the creativity) of the ending!
"The Substitute" is an expertly crafted story by an incredibly talented author. I highly recommend it.
In " The Substitute", Lundrigan weaves another magical story around characters who will leave an indelible mark on the reader's heart and mind long after putting the book down. I don't know how she does it, but she imbues every one of her characters with so much humanity that, even when you don't particularly like them, you can always connect with and relate to them on some level.
The pace of the story is languid for a thriller (all the better to soak in the delicious writing style), but the suspense is maintained and built through the shifting back and forth between the two main characters. Although I pride myself on being pretty adept at guessing who done it, I was completely blown away (and very impressed by the creativity) of the ending!
"The Substitute" is an expertly crafted story by an incredibly talented author. I highly recommend it.
June 5, 2019
Ms. Lundrigan sure knows how to wrap you up in a story. Having read Glass Boys I had an idea of what to expect. I wasn’t surprised. Here is an author who will take you through childhoods from the underground. She peels away any vestiges of normalcy and leaves you to muck around in the darker nature of humanity. Two childhoods side by side with dramatically different outcomes. Each character finds their own way to try and express their inner turmoil. Credit to the author for not shying away from the raw and painful while simultaneously offering glimmers of hope and kindness.
April 14, 2018
A VERY DEPRESSING book.
May 14, 2023
Turns out I have a lot to say about this book, which is weird because there’s not a lot here.
I appreciated the non-neurotypical characters. It was compelling and interesting. For a while. But the book went very slowly, very very slowly. I felt it had to be over soon, and I realized I was barely more than halfway through. Like damn.
The first main character, Warren, was kind of an anti-Mary Sue. He did everything wrong. Everything. I don’t understand how this person achieved a doctorate. He is completely unable to function when dealing with other people. His mind wanders to the extreme, even when alone. And this person … was a middle school teacher? Had a PhD? How? It doesn’t seem any accommodations were made for him, from what I could tell, he was a good student and just got a PhD. As you do when you have extreme mental illness/neurodivergence and no financial assistance.
What I found frustrating with Warren is that he did everything wrong because he is mentally ill and/or neurodivergent (I think it’s mainly the latter but his specific issues were never spelled out), not really because of his personality (as much as he had one). Anything he could do, anything at all, he would do wrong because of his mental issues. If Warren should tell the truth, he lied. If he should lie, he tells the truth. If he should go somewhere, it was the wrong place. If he doesn’t go somewhere, that’s pretty sus too.
I don’t expect him to be a genius because he’s autistic, I’m aware that fictional trope is ridiculous. But I expect him to have a general understanding of cause and effect at the level of the spectrum he supposedly is on, considering he’s a PhD and a teacher. How does he ever convey information with this compulsive lying he randomly does, or the inverse truth telling he also randomly does. Who knows why he does anything, certainly not himself. Or the reader.
It was really wild. Like if he had evidence, he hid it. If he could clarify something, he would obscure it. Any possible way on god’s green earth he could fuck up, he did. Because he’s autistic or OCD or whatever. I found it an insulting depiction.
And almost everyone disliked him. Because of his strangeness, I suppose. And because the person was killed in his in his backyard, he was the suspect? The book was like a washed out version of The Outsider. Not like trying to copy it, but as if the author had the same notion for a plot but their execution wasn’t quite as crisp as Camus.
Also, people know autism exists now. But not the people in this book. None of them have ever heard of it, as far as I can tell.
The other narrator was less aggravating. I found them quite entertaining for a while. Ironically, much easier to empathize with. Eventually they got a bit tedious too. Pretty angsty for a sociopath, but hey, I don’t know the mind of sociopaths.
The main sin of this book, to me, was how simple-minded everyone was, whether their character was smart or dumb. Truly, the inability to understand cause and effect wasn’t limited to Warren. The secondary characters were flat, and the primary characters were fairly extreme depictions of mental illness (though they somehow dealt perfectly well with society up until the moment the book started).
Also, if the core of a novel is change, and plot is types of change, one could argue this book had no plot. Because the whole point seemed to be nothing changed. No one changed. We have status quo, a bump, and then return to status quo. So.
I liked it a lot in the beginning. But the longer it went on, the more insensibly incompetent Warren was, the more vapid every secondary character was, the more tedious the book became. I considered not finishing it several times, but in the end, I was curious if all this frustrating mess was on purpose and would pull together into some satisfying cat’s cradle. It did not.
P.S. People need to stop calling every novel with a murder in it a “thriller”. This wasn’t a thriller in any way.
I appreciated the non-neurotypical characters. It was compelling and interesting. For a while. But the book went very slowly, very very slowly. I felt it had to be over soon, and I realized I was barely more than halfway through. Like damn.
The first main character, Warren, was kind of an anti-Mary Sue. He did everything wrong. Everything. I don’t understand how this person achieved a doctorate. He is completely unable to function when dealing with other people. His mind wanders to the extreme, even when alone. And this person … was a middle school teacher? Had a PhD? How? It doesn’t seem any accommodations were made for him, from what I could tell, he was a good student and just got a PhD. As you do when you have extreme mental illness/neurodivergence and no financial assistance.
What I found frustrating with Warren is that he did everything wrong because he is mentally ill and/or neurodivergent (I think it’s mainly the latter but his specific issues were never spelled out), not really because of his personality (as much as he had one). Anything he could do, anything at all, he would do wrong because of his mental issues. If Warren should tell the truth, he lied. If he should lie, he tells the truth. If he should go somewhere, it was the wrong place. If he doesn’t go somewhere, that’s pretty sus too.
I don’t expect him to be a genius because he’s autistic, I’m aware that fictional trope is ridiculous. But I expect him to have a general understanding of cause and effect at the level of the spectrum he supposedly is on, considering he’s a PhD and a teacher. How does he ever convey information with this compulsive lying he randomly does, or the inverse truth telling he also randomly does. Who knows why he does anything, certainly not himself. Or the reader.
It was really wild. Like if he had evidence, he hid it. If he could clarify something, he would obscure it. Any possible way on god’s green earth he could fuck up, he did. Because he’s autistic or OCD or whatever. I found it an insulting depiction.
And almost everyone disliked him. Because of his strangeness, I suppose. And because the person was killed in his in his backyard, he was the suspect? The book was like a washed out version of The Outsider. Not like trying to copy it, but as if the author had the same notion for a plot but their execution wasn’t quite as crisp as Camus.
Also, people know autism exists now. But not the people in this book. None of them have ever heard of it, as far as I can tell.
The other narrator was less aggravating. I found them quite entertaining for a while. Ironically, much easier to empathize with. Eventually they got a bit tedious too. Pretty angsty for a sociopath, but hey, I don’t know the mind of sociopaths.
The main sin of this book, to me, was how simple-minded everyone was, whether their character was smart or dumb. Truly, the inability to understand cause and effect wasn’t limited to Warren. The secondary characters were flat, and the primary characters were fairly extreme depictions of mental illness (though they somehow dealt perfectly well with society up until the moment the book started).
Also, if the core of a novel is change, and plot is types of change, one could argue this book had no plot. Because the whole point seemed to be nothing changed. No one changed. We have status quo, a bump, and then return to status quo. So.
I liked it a lot in the beginning. But the longer it went on, the more insensibly incompetent Warren was, the more vapid every secondary character was, the more tedious the book became. I considered not finishing it several times, but in the end, I was curious if all this frustrating mess was on purpose and would pull together into some satisfying cat’s cradle. It did not.
P.S. People need to stop calling every novel with a murder in it a “thriller”. This wasn’t a thriller in any way.
June 24, 2017
The Substitute by Nicole Lundrigan is a highly recommended psychological mystery.
Warren Botts is a socially awkward man pursuing his PhD in Biology who decided to take a break from his lab. Warren accepted a position as a substitute science teacher at the middle school where the principal is his academic adviser's brother. When he notices Amanda Fuller, a student, standing by a tree in the backyard of his rental house very early one morning, he chooses to ignore her and goes for a run instead. This is the same girl who repeatedly stopped by his house asking him to help her with her science and he was advised to tell her he could help her at school but she had to stay away from his house.
When Warren returns from his run, he looks out the window and sees Amanda hasn't moved. Suddenly he notices the rope and realizes what has happened. After he calls the police with a garbled message, he clearly is the prime suspect in the girl's murder and public sentiment in the small community turns against him.
Warren's chapters alternate with the first person account of an anonymous narrator who is likely one of Warren's students and clearly the one who planned Amanda's demise. This person is a burgeoning psychopath who is extremely intelligent, but emotionally damaged, stunted, and detached from any meaningful interpersonal connections. The one exception is the younger sister nicknamed "Buddon."
As the narration progresses in the alternating chapters, it appears that the two stories are going to intersect and combine, but the truth is not revealed until the very end of the novel. The Substitute is not a nail-biting tense, fast-paced novel of suspense, but rather a slowly emerging story of two solitary people who have more in common than either of them realize. It is also an in-depth character study of these two people. The tension comes from the treatment of Warren Botts over Amanda's death and the suspicions of who the anonymous narrator is and what they might do next.
It is a beautifully written novel. Lundrigan captures Warren's obsession with numbers and counting things along with his socially awkward ineptness perfectly, while also introducing us to the chilling mind of a young psychopath. If there is any drawback to this fine novel it is due to the slow pace. (Another drawback would be the intelligence of Warren's choice to be a substitute teacher at a middle school.) Although it is a superior work of fiction, it is not a novel that compels you to stay up too late at night reading. The excellent writing, however, will help you persevere to the end. The end will be worth the time invested. It totally surprised me.
Disclosure: My review copy was courtesy of House of Anansi Press.
http://www.shetreadssoftly.com/2017/0...
Warren Botts is a socially awkward man pursuing his PhD in Biology who decided to take a break from his lab. Warren accepted a position as a substitute science teacher at the middle school where the principal is his academic adviser's brother. When he notices Amanda Fuller, a student, standing by a tree in the backyard of his rental house very early one morning, he chooses to ignore her and goes for a run instead. This is the same girl who repeatedly stopped by his house asking him to help her with her science and he was advised to tell her he could help her at school but she had to stay away from his house.
When Warren returns from his run, he looks out the window and sees Amanda hasn't moved. Suddenly he notices the rope and realizes what has happened. After he calls the police with a garbled message, he clearly is the prime suspect in the girl's murder and public sentiment in the small community turns against him.
Warren's chapters alternate with the first person account of an anonymous narrator who is likely one of Warren's students and clearly the one who planned Amanda's demise. This person is a burgeoning psychopath who is extremely intelligent, but emotionally damaged, stunted, and detached from any meaningful interpersonal connections. The one exception is the younger sister nicknamed "Buddon."
As the narration progresses in the alternating chapters, it appears that the two stories are going to intersect and combine, but the truth is not revealed until the very end of the novel. The Substitute is not a nail-biting tense, fast-paced novel of suspense, but rather a slowly emerging story of two solitary people who have more in common than either of them realize. It is also an in-depth character study of these two people. The tension comes from the treatment of Warren Botts over Amanda's death and the suspicions of who the anonymous narrator is and what they might do next.
It is a beautifully written novel. Lundrigan captures Warren's obsession with numbers and counting things along with his socially awkward ineptness perfectly, while also introducing us to the chilling mind of a young psychopath. If there is any drawback to this fine novel it is due to the slow pace. (Another drawback would be the intelligence of Warren's choice to be a substitute teacher at a middle school.) Although it is a superior work of fiction, it is not a novel that compels you to stay up too late at night reading. The excellent writing, however, will help you persevere to the end. The end will be worth the time invested. It totally surprised me.
Disclosure: My review copy was courtesy of House of Anansi Press.
http://www.shetreadssoftly.com/2017/0...
February 24, 2025
This book was fantastically creepy and the writing was so good that I was completely unsettled. Still am! I started this book yesterday late afternoon and proceeded to spend that night trying to sleep waking up with my heart pounding in terror every hour or so. That feeling of anxiety carried on thru the day and I was glad to get home this afternoon and get the book finished. I have read a ton of horror since I was a kid, so I was a bit surprised to feel so affected, and this book is not horror exactly, more a mystery/thriller - but what could be more horrifying then what humans are capable of? Just regular humans such as which live on my street, or live on your street. Just like in each one of her previous books, Nicole Lundrigan absolutely shines in her portrayal of human nature. She never disappoints!
March 27, 2019
Absolutely brilliant. One of the best psychological thrillers I have read. Nicole Lundrigan, Canada's most under-rated writer, never fails to give you characters you will fall in love with, flaws and all. She gives you the whole package: beautiful writing, endearing characters and a gripping storyline. Why has the Giller never recognized her????
April 8, 2017
I was up late at night because I could not put down The Substitute. The characters were well-developed and interesting. The writing was fluid and engaging. The story grabbed my attention and kept me guessing until the last page. Enjoy !!!
June 20, 2017
Pretty far-fetched ending. I also cannot stand when everything could be solved if one, innocent person just SPOKE instead of stuttering, hiding, and ignoring the truth and this entire book was based on something along those lines. Not for me.
October 14, 2022
I’ve read two other books by Lundrigan: Glass Boys and The Seary Line. I enjoyed both and reading more of work has been on my list for some time.
After recently reading a lot of nonfiction I thought it was time for a break and so I purchased this e-book. My local library only having the two previous books listed available.
I really loved this book
It’s a psychological thriller. Alternating between the perspectives of an unnamed and psychopathic teen and Warren Botts, an awkward substitute science teacher.
One of his students ends up dead, hanging from a tree in his backyard.
While reading the book I knew one of the characters in the book would turn out to be the killer. That the killer wouldn’t be the obvious weird teacher.
But I did not guess in which way it did come together.
Out of the three books I this is my favourite so far. My plan is to read all of her work.
Here are some quotes from the book:
“The only point to a mistake is if you don’t repeat it.” I heard him, and I also listened.
“I’m not a teacher. I’m the substitute.”
Warren glanced at her, thought for a moment to tell her about the three types of muscle in the human body. Six hundred and forty different ones. Three hundred and twenty pairs. Plus millions that just lift the hair on a person’s skin.
Though I could not articulate it, I knew from a very early age that my aunt was a useless slut.
I winced, certain there were elements of her voice that only a canine could hear.
Bright yellow ring circling a force diagram, three pulleys, a winding rope, and a trapezoid to represent a one-hundred-pound weight.
Two ways my mother gave away her fear: her voice adopted a canary quality, and she talked way too much.
Everything was symmetrical, perfect. I hated the house instantly.
Her habits made her steal, but her decency made her CK search. She wanted to be that person.
Cause and effect. I had not fully defined the parameters in my contraption, and suddenly the effects were out of my control.
Again, I questioned how I could’ve existed inside of her for nine full months, then emerged from that gap between her legs. It was illogical. Foreign. The notion made me feel ill.
An object in motion wants to stay in motion.
And this story was in motion and kept me interested all the way through. If you like psychological thrillers, give this one a read!
June 23, 2025
After reading An Unthinkable Thing (5 star read for me), I’m reading the author’s previous books. The Substitute is another great read and I plan to read all of her books I can get my hands on!
An unnamed narrator is telling a good portion of the story and I was pleasantly surprised who it was. Another brilliant story and I loved the subtle, dark humor. I’m a fan! Jane Porter is excellent as the narrator on the audiobook production and I’d recommend this one on audio if you can find it.
4.5/5
An unnamed narrator is telling a good portion of the story and I was pleasantly surprised who it was. Another brilliant story and I loved the subtle, dark humor. I’m a fan! Jane Porter is excellent as the narrator on the audiobook production and I’d recommend this one on audio if you can find it.
4.5/5
April 17, 2019
Wow. Wow. Wow. Can I say wow with this ending? What a very interesting turn in storytelling! Wow.
August 31, 2023
A great psychological thriller that had me guessing for quite a while!
February 4, 2017
I have to admit, this one took me a lot longer to get through than my normal reading speed. I’m usually through a book either in 1-2 days barring my life getting complicated but this one took 5. It’s not that it was a bad book but there’s a lot of exposition making the story slowly drawn out so I found myself losing focus at times and needing to take lots of breaks. I was determined to finish it though because the murder was done interestingly enough I had to know who did it and why.
Another interesting aspect is that the chapters switch off between the 3rd person perspective of one main character, Mr. Botts, whose story is in the present and the first person point of view who we would later learn to be the murderer. You don’t find out who the murderer is until nearly the last page. The way those chapters are written it could be the first person point of view of the main character from the other chapters or someone he’s interacting with; there just isn’t a lot of help to figure it out until the end which is a good thing because it keeps your attention in needing to know.
The entire book I kept going back and forth whether I liked it because at times it felt like there was a lot of rambling and it felt like the characters were talking just to hear themselves talk but they weren’t providing any information I cared about. Mr. Botts also gets lost in his head quite often and counts random things which takes you off on more slow tangents.
I think the problem was I had expectations from the cover and description this was going to be a very fast paced crime thriller but it’s a lot subtler than that, more like a fine wine you let breathe before you can enjoy. When I realized it wasn’t going to be the stereotypical mystery book I started again and changed my expectations because I knew when I first started I had skimmed through quite a bit trying to get to the tension building action.
Once I stopped looking for that quick, heroin like fix of junkie thrills we normally get from fast paced mystery thrillers I discovered a book rich in character development that was trying to examine a very powerful aspect of society. It was heartbreaking to understand why the murder victim was chosen even to the point I could emphasize with the murderer.
I would recommend people read this and give it chance because it is a book with a lot to offer.
Another interesting aspect is that the chapters switch off between the 3rd person perspective of one main character, Mr. Botts, whose story is in the present and the first person point of view who we would later learn to be the murderer. You don’t find out who the murderer is until nearly the last page. The way those chapters are written it could be the first person point of view of the main character from the other chapters or someone he’s interacting with; there just isn’t a lot of help to figure it out until the end which is a good thing because it keeps your attention in needing to know.
The entire book I kept going back and forth whether I liked it because at times it felt like there was a lot of rambling and it felt like the characters were talking just to hear themselves talk but they weren’t providing any information I cared about. Mr. Botts also gets lost in his head quite often and counts random things which takes you off on more slow tangents.
I think the problem was I had expectations from the cover and description this was going to be a very fast paced crime thriller but it’s a lot subtler than that, more like a fine wine you let breathe before you can enjoy. When I realized it wasn’t going to be the stereotypical mystery book I started again and changed my expectations because I knew when I first started I had skimmed through quite a bit trying to get to the tension building action.
Once I stopped looking for that quick, heroin like fix of junkie thrills we normally get from fast paced mystery thrillers I discovered a book rich in character development that was trying to examine a very powerful aspect of society. It was heartbreaking to understand why the murder victim was chosen even to the point I could emphasize with the murderer.
I would recommend people read this and give it chance because it is a book with a lot to offer.
October 6, 2017
The writing and the secret narrator make this book one of the best murder mysteries I've read in a long time. Finished it in just a few sittings.
May 3, 2019
I just happened to stumble upon this while browsing audiobooks, and, WHOA. What a weird, twisted, bizarre, original, excellent piece of work. I LOVED IT.
There are two seemingly unrelated storylines happening for most of the book, and you know they are going to come together at some point, and yes they do. The before is just as good as the after.
A highly intelligent, psychotic tweenager (I think? Was never clear on her age but I think she was 11-12) is the narrator for one of the storylines, and she is creepy as anything. And that is even when she's NOT (I recommend the audio for this alone) voicing the character of her little sister Button, who suffered head trauma leading to brain injury/developmental disability at the hands of said older sister. It really veers into horror territory here. I was listening to this, at so many places in the story thinking "yes, oh wow, yes this is happening. YES." It's pretty disturbing at times and not for the faint of heart. But it's also darkly humorous in a way. And impossible to describe. You just have to read it!
I found this to be really entertaining, quirky and unique, a real standout in the fiction world of today. I enjoyed it immensely and am so glad I found it. It was a lot of fun and it felt like discovering a hidden treasure. Based on the low number of reviews and its absence from the bestseller lists, it is obviously not getting the attention it deserves. This author is a genius with an impressive imagination and creative talent.
I recommend it highly!! So, SO well done and so good!!
There are two seemingly unrelated storylines happening for most of the book, and you know they are going to come together at some point, and yes they do. The before is just as good as the after.
A highly intelligent, psychotic tweenager (I think? Was never clear on her age but I think she was 11-12) is the narrator for one of the storylines, and she is creepy as anything. And that is even when she's NOT (I recommend the audio for this alone) voicing the character of her little sister Button, who suffered head trauma leading to brain injury/developmental disability at the hands of said older sister. It really veers into horror territory here. I was listening to this, at so many places in the story thinking "yes, oh wow, yes this is happening. YES." It's pretty disturbing at times and not for the faint of heart. But it's also darkly humorous in a way. And impossible to describe. You just have to read it!
I found this to be really entertaining, quirky and unique, a real standout in the fiction world of today. I enjoyed it immensely and am so glad I found it. It was a lot of fun and it felt like discovering a hidden treasure. Based on the low number of reviews and its absence from the bestseller lists, it is obviously not getting the attention it deserves. This author is a genius with an impressive imagination and creative talent.
I recommend it highly!! So, SO well done and so good!!
July 12, 2017
Loved! This book will mostly fill the void that Gone Girl left in your life--not as twisted, but so creepy and suspenseful that you won't want to stop reading. It's heart-wrenching. It reminded me of a blend of Gone Girl and We Need to Talk About Kevin (the good part). It took me maybe 3 days to read--I barely put it down.
I was hoping to love this as much as I loved Glass Boys and though they're totally different, I was not disappointed at all; both often leave you deeply unsettled as you read (I had to stop a couple times in The Substitute), and skip right past page-filler pretenses to show you the deeply flawed cores of the characters. The Substitute is a wonderful followup to Glass Boys and only makes me more psyched to read what she does next.
I loved the perspectives this book was written from: one character written in third person, and a creepy AF narrator. It resulted in a dynamic reading experience, your perception and predictions changing with each narrator's new words. Also, there aren't a lot of characters in The Substitute, which I appreciated and think served to make the book creepier.
Even though I'd never heard of her until a year or two ago, Nicole Lundrigan is one of my favorite authors at this point--her work is DARK and throws you into a struggle with who people really are and what people really want from page 1. If you're not reading her and like shit to get real with your reading, I can't recommend her enough.
I was hoping to love this as much as I loved Glass Boys and though they're totally different, I was not disappointed at all; both often leave you deeply unsettled as you read (I had to stop a couple times in The Substitute), and skip right past page-filler pretenses to show you the deeply flawed cores of the characters. The Substitute is a wonderful followup to Glass Boys and only makes me more psyched to read what she does next.
I loved the perspectives this book was written from: one character written in third person, and a creepy AF narrator. It resulted in a dynamic reading experience, your perception and predictions changing with each narrator's new words. Also, there aren't a lot of characters in The Substitute, which I appreciated and think served to make the book creepier.
Even though I'd never heard of her until a year or two ago, Nicole Lundrigan is one of my favorite authors at this point--her work is DARK and throws you into a struggle with who people really are and what people really want from page 1. If you're not reading her and like shit to get real with your reading, I can't recommend her enough.
April 19, 2017
Nicole is at her disturbing best here! I just finished this so I'm not even going to try to articulate clear thoughts here. How did she write this - keep all those pieces up in the air until the end? It's disturbing, it's engrossing - it's damn good! Great ending. Thank you to Nicole Lundrigan and Anansi Press (Spiderline) for the advanced reading copy.
@Michelle - you have to read it! I know you're going love this one. I'm passing off my copy to @Jackie tomorrow night at book club. I know you guys will rip through this one like I did. :-)
@Michelle - you have to read it! I know you're going love this one. I'm passing off my copy to @Jackie tomorrow night at book club. I know you guys will rip through this one like I did. :-)
August 11, 2018
I did not enjoy this book whatsoever. I was intrigued at first, especially since each chapter was from a different character’s viewpoint, but as I continued reading I found that there wasn’t a natural flow to the story.
The were several characters that were disconnected from the plot and they did not add anything to the story. There were also several scenarios which seemed to be just added in for word count.
I don’t recommend this novel, especially if you love psychological thrillers such as myself. This book was a major let down.
The were several characters that were disconnected from the plot and they did not add anything to the story. There were also several scenarios which seemed to be just added in for word count.
I don’t recommend this novel, especially if you love psychological thrillers such as myself. This book was a major let down.
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